A ROBBER who threatened staff at a Coventry supermarket with a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun has been jailed for 10 years.

Lawrence Alfred McCauley, aged 45, of The Boxhill, Stoke Aldermoor, Coventry, admitted two charges of robbery and two charges of having a firearm with intent. He was jailed for 10 years at Coventry Crown Court yesterday.

McCauley was one of two robbers who stole #13,142 from the Heart of England Co-op, in Foleshill Road, Foleshill, last October and more than #1,500-worth of goods from Kwik Save, in Quorn Way, Ernesford Grange, Coventry, last November. The other robber was not named in court.

Michael Garrett, prosecuting, said the first robbery took place at the Heart of England Co-op, at the junction of Webster Street and Foleshill Road.

Mr Garrett told the court how the robbers forced the staff members to hand over their mobile phones, tied their hands behind their backs with plastic cable ties, disconnected the super-market?s phone and stole the cash from the safe.

After they had left, one of the workers managed to free his hands and phoned the police.

Mr Garrett said that, in the second robbery, McCauley and another man tried to steal money from a safe at Kwik Save by threatening two workers with guns after the shop had closed.

Staff members couldn?t unlock the safe because they didn?t have the keys so, instead, the robbers stole mobile phone vouchers, mobile phones, stamps and cigarettes worth more than #1,500.

James Burbidge, defending, said McCauley had been a ?junior partner? in the robberies and had been under pressure to take part because of drug debts and involvement with drug dealers.

Mr Burbidge said McCauley, a father of several children, wanted to apologise to his victims.

Sentencing him, Recorder Yvonne Coen told McCauley: ?You subjected four people in the first case and two people in the second case to a terrifying ordeal which I suspect will remain with them for the rest of their lives.?